Committee members to hold Yes event

Members of the Oireachtas health committee will press ahead with their plan to hold a photocall to promote a Yes vote in the children's referendum tomorrow despite the cancellation of a formal event by Oireachtas officials.

The Oireachtas communications unit announced Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald would join committee chairman Jerry Buttimer and a cross-party group of TDs and senators from the committee for a photocall in Merrion Park, Dublin at 2.30pm.

The formal event was cancelled after queries to the Oireachtas from David Cochrane, Communities Editor at The Irish Times, and others. An Oireachtas spokesman said the plan was “potentially in breach” of the McKenna judgement, a 1995 Supreme Court ruling that stated that taxpayers’ money cannot be used to promote one side in a referendum.

However, Mr Buttimer confirmed committee members intended to meet “as individuals” in the same place at the same time. He expressed a view that the media was not paying enough attention to the referendum.

“We are getting together informally as a group of politicians who happen to be members of the committee. We’re members of the Oireachtas who have a democratic mandate. We’re from all parties and none. We’re concerned at the lack of media coverage of the referendum,” Mr Buttimer said.